This is our story.
Tucked Away Craft Kitchen & Bar is the second venture for Sean Hayes & Jo Ann Franko, who currently own Tipsy Cactus TapRoom & Bottle Shop in Mesa. After successfully opening Tipsy Cactus, Sean & Jo dreamt of having a local, small plate restaurant where friends, family & neighbors would come together to share their daily stories while enjoying flavorful dishes & cocktails.
Sean & Jo have partnered with Executive Chef Gabe Madrid to craft dishes that tell a rich story of balance, flavor & texture while showcasing the finest ingredients of the season. Our small plates menu and custom crafted cocktails will evolve with the season, along with a variety of wines and craft beers.
We welcome you to come and enjoy the experience of Tucked Away Craft Kitchen & Bar.
Sean & Jo have partnered with Executive Chef Gabe Madrid to craft dishes that tell a rich story of balance, flavor & texture while showcasing the finest ingredients of the season. Our small plates menu and custom crafted cocktails will evolve with the season, along with a variety of wines and craft beers.
We welcome you to come and enjoy the experience of Tucked Away Craft Kitchen & Bar.
Meet Our Chef.
Born and raised in New Mexico, Chef Gabe's childhood was filled with family, cooking and a strong work ethic, which ultimately steered him to pursue a career in the Culinary Arts. He graduated with honors in July 2002 from the Scottsdale Culinary Institute.
To feed his new found passion for cooking, Chef Gabe worked for none other than Chef Bobby Flay at his Mesa Grill restaurants in Las Vegas, Nevada, the Bahamas, and the Manhattan, New York as Executive Sous Chef. After spending five years with Bobby Flay, Chef Gabe accepted an Executive Sous Chef position with Carmine's NYC, a New York based restaurant with locations in Times Square, the Upper West Side, and Washington, D.C. where he managed numerous private events and off-site catering to members of Capitol Hill and others within Washington's political scene.
In 2011, Chef Gabe moved back to Las Vegas, Nevada to become a Sous Chef for Chef José Andrés and spent the next year working in his Jaleo restaurant.
In 2013, Chef Gabe packed up and moved to Phoenix where he became the Chef for the San Francisco Giants and Chicago Cubs Spring Training Facility. The following year, Chef Gabe became the Culinary Lead for M Culinary Concepts, which focuses on catering events from intimate social gatherings to large events such as the PGA Tour Waste Management Open and Barrett-Jackson Automobile auction.
Upon leaving M Culinary Concepts, Chef Gabe worked as a Personal Chef and Caterer in various cities such as Las Vegas, Albuquerque, Las Cruces and Phoenix. After working for many esteemed Chefs and gaining a vault of culinary knowledge, Chef Gabe purchased his own food truck - Taste of New Mexico and began serving cities across the valley. His bold New Mexican flavors quickly gained recognition and won multiple awards.
For 5 years, Chef Gabe served delicious New Mexican dishes from his food truck. However, to lay down more permanent roots, he retired his food truck and is now the Executive Chef at Tucked Away Craft Kitchen and Bar, located in Mesa, Arizona. Here he is utilizing his vast culinary mastery and skills to craft his own unique dishes that features fresh, seasonal ingredients along with offering Catering Services for small gatherings, business meetings or large events.
To feed his new found passion for cooking, Chef Gabe worked for none other than Chef Bobby Flay at his Mesa Grill restaurants in Las Vegas, Nevada, the Bahamas, and the Manhattan, New York as Executive Sous Chef. After spending five years with Bobby Flay, Chef Gabe accepted an Executive Sous Chef position with Carmine's NYC, a New York based restaurant with locations in Times Square, the Upper West Side, and Washington, D.C. where he managed numerous private events and off-site catering to members of Capitol Hill and others within Washington's political scene.
In 2011, Chef Gabe moved back to Las Vegas, Nevada to become a Sous Chef for Chef José Andrés and spent the next year working in his Jaleo restaurant.
In 2013, Chef Gabe packed up and moved to Phoenix where he became the Chef for the San Francisco Giants and Chicago Cubs Spring Training Facility. The following year, Chef Gabe became the Culinary Lead for M Culinary Concepts, which focuses on catering events from intimate social gatherings to large events such as the PGA Tour Waste Management Open and Barrett-Jackson Automobile auction.
Upon leaving M Culinary Concepts, Chef Gabe worked as a Personal Chef and Caterer in various cities such as Las Vegas, Albuquerque, Las Cruces and Phoenix. After working for many esteemed Chefs and gaining a vault of culinary knowledge, Chef Gabe purchased his own food truck - Taste of New Mexico and began serving cities across the valley. His bold New Mexican flavors quickly gained recognition and won multiple awards.
For 5 years, Chef Gabe served delicious New Mexican dishes from his food truck. However, to lay down more permanent roots, he retired his food truck and is now the Executive Chef at Tucked Away Craft Kitchen and Bar, located in Mesa, Arizona. Here he is utilizing his vast culinary mastery and skills to craft his own unique dishes that features fresh, seasonal ingredients along with offering Catering Services for small gatherings, business meetings or large events.
